Auburn announces gameday improvements for 2013 football season

When Auburn hosts Washington State for the 2013 football season opener, fans will see gameday experience improvements including additional parking and tailgating, more tailgate dropoff locations, new concessions options and better ticketing technology.

"We've really made an effort to listen to our fans and respond with changes that we think make our entire gameday experience among the very best in college football," Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs said. "Our fans wanted more parking and tailgating opportunities, more choices at the concessions stand and better communication, so we are pleased to announce these improvements for the upcoming season."

Parking and Tailgating

More than 2,000 new free parking spaces and additional tailgating areas will be available throughout the season. They include:

South Donahue Corridor: Temporary stakes on both sides of Donahue have been moved or eliminated. Stakes on the western side of the street were removed to allow fans to park on the curb. Stakes on the eastern side of Donahue have been pushed farther away from the curb to create space for additional parking. (Available at 4 p.m. on Fridays before home games).

Free South Donahue Lot: A new free lot will be opened on the north end of the South Donahue hayfields adjacent to Lem Morrison Drive. (Available at 8 a.m. Saturday). Additional free parking will also be opened up on Lem Morrison Drive near the university medial clinic, where a construction laydown area has been converted to parking and tailgating space. (Available at 8 a.m. on Saturday).

Weagle Woods: A new free tailgating area will be opened up behind the School of Forestry & Wildlife Sciences building at the corner of South Donahue and Lem Morrison Drive. "Weagle Woods" will be opened for tailgaters at 4 p.m. on Friday.

West Samford Avenue: A small area of green space on West Samford Avenue near the Duncan Drive intersection will be opened up for free parking and tailgating. Permanent barriers along that portion of West Samford have been removed. (Available at 4 p.m. on Friday).

Intramural Fields: Approximately 70 new free tailgating spots will be offered on the perimeter of the Intramural Fields on Biggio Drive. The reserved spots will be offered free of charge. Fans will be able to reserve these spots on a game-by-game basis online beginning Aug. 15 for the Washington State game at aubgameday.com. (Available at 4 p.m. on Friday).

Facilities Division: Additional free parking will be available at the Facilities Division on West Samford Avenue. Fans can "quick park" vehicles there, and Tiger Transit shuttle service will be available to and from the stadium. (Available at 4 p.m. on Friday).

Other gameday improvements include:

New TVs at Jordan-Hare Stadium: A total of 97 new flat-screen TVs have been installed throughout the interior concourse at Jordan-Hare Stadium.

Seat Upgrades: Fans can now upgrade their seats from the convenience of their smart phones. To sign up in advance for the service, fans can visit www.auburn.findexp.com the week of the first game.

Ticket Scanners & Seat Selection: Ticket scanners will be used in Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time this season. The scanning technology gives fans the ability to print tickets at home or transfer tickets to other Auburn fans. The Auburn Ticket Office encourages fans to arrive early at the gates for the season opener as the scanners are used for the first time.

Concessions improvements: A new Domino's Pizza kitchen has been built in Jordan-Hare. Fresh pizza cooked on site will be served at every permanent concessions stand in the stadium. Other concessions improvements include the addition of Momma Goldberg's at five locations in the stadium, a new all-beef hotdog served on a split-top bun, new healthy options including chef salads and wraps, digital menu boards, family pack combo options offering discounts and a 100 percent guarantee on all food items served in the stadium.

Ticket Information: Season and select single-game tickets for the 2013 Auburn football season are now available to the general public through the Auburn Athletics Department Ticket Office. All tickets can be purchased online at AUBTIX.com. For more information or questions regarding tickets, contact the ticket office by email at tickets@auburn.edu or by phone at 1- 855-282-2010, ext. 1.